Hill claims her Pot Of Gold
The training rainbow of progressive Samantha Hill found her pot of gold at Globe Derby Park on Saturday.
The Hill-trained Offyarocka Crocker prevailed in the $25,000 Kevin & Kay Seymour Pot Of Gold Final (2230m).
Starting $4.20 equal favourite, the six-year-old sat parked in the inaugural running of the SA feature to win by a head from the fast-finishing Euro Beat ($9.50) with Always Steamed Up ($7), a half neck away third in a thrilling finish.
Hill, 27, said the win had been her greatest thrill in harness racing.
“It is the richest race I have won as either a trainer or driver,” Hill said.
“He (Offyarocka Crocker) is a really funny horse – you just have to let him do what he wants to do.
“He got beaten 76 metres at his last run before coming to my stables and I can understand why because he is really quirky.”
Hill said when Offyarocka Crocker began quite well in the Pot Of Gold from barrier two she thought he might be able to work to the front.
“I was surprised Buzz Bomb (in barrier one) began as quickly as he did, and I thought Paul (Cavallaro) might let me go to the front, but he wanted to hold.
“My horse was happy sitting parked and found a good turn of foot when I asked him to go coming off the back.
“With such a good field I thought we might get run down in the straight, but the post arrived in time in a great finish.”
A winner of four of his seven starts for Hill, Offyarocka Crocker will head to Mount Gambier on Tuesday to run in a heat of the Carbine Chemicals Gold Cup.
“It is probably not ideal to back up so quickly but if he can qualify for the final I can give him a few days off because the Cup is not until Saturday, March 15.
“When I started training four years ago my plan was to eventually go full time.
“I branched out last year and by the start of next month I am going to have 20 horses in work.
“I have received fantastic support from a lot of owners and hopefully I can finish in the top five at the end of the year.”
After just two months, Hill sits in third on the SA Trainers premiership with nine wins and Offyarocka Crocker was her 60th win overall.
Talented square gaiter Hammers Law completed an unusual feature double in February.
On Saturday, the 11-year-old ran a track record 2:00.9 in winning the Northside Trotters Handicap (2230m) while earlier in the month, he was crowned Supreme South Australian Racing Conditioned-led at a Mt Pleasant.
Owner-trainer-driver Shaun Adams said young harness enthusiast Dakota Cummins loved Hammers Law and asked if she could enter him in the show.
“He is a handsome horse, and I thought it was great that Dakota was keen to give him a life outside racing,” Adams said.
“He is coming to the end of his career on the track, and I will be pleased if Dakota takes him on for a career in the shows.”
Hammers Law ($13) came off a 20-metre handicap to score a 6-1/2 metre win on Saturday beating Aldebaran Dexta ($6.50) with My Bad Habits ($12), 11-1/2 metres away third breaking the previous best of 2:01.1 recorded by Regal Attire in March last year.
Lovelorn ($5) led early for trainer-driver Dani Hill and trotted boldly with first quarters of the last 1600 metres in 29.6 and 29.3 seconds but he unfortunately galloped down the back straight losing any chance.
Aldebaran Dexta, which had been chasing, went to the front but Hammers Law was on his back and proved too strong in the home straight.
“I knew they were running along because my bloke was always off the bit,” Adams said.
“I am thinking about retiring him and a win would be the perfect end to his career, but I will have a think about it during the week.
“He has been a great horse for me winning 27 races and more than $200,000 in stakes.
“He ran in the best features such as the Southern Stars as a young horse, is a multiple Melton winner and has also won at Menangle and has nothing left to prove.
“But he is sound and loves his work which is making it tough to decide.”
Trainer-driver Anthony Robinson made up for not having a runner in the rich Pot Of Gold final by landing a double on Saturday.
Robinson drove Boulder City in the heats a week earlier and got pushed very wide coming off the back before finishing third. It was a run which saw him the emergency for Saturday’s final, and he didn’t get a start.
Boulder City ($3.40 fav) took advantage of running in the Ladbrokes Punter Assist Pace (1800m) and dashed up the sprint lane to score a one metre win from That’s Art ($4.80) with Butter Cup ($8), a half head away third.
From gate one on the second row, Robinson pushed through to trail the leader Butter Cup before sprinting strongly in the home straight.
“He was unlucky not to be in the Pot Of Gold,” Robinson said.
“We just got pushed too wide off the back. He ran on well, but we were the slowest third and only the emergency and didn’t get a run.
“Tonight he loved the trail. He took a bit of driving to get into the sprint lane but once there he sprinted strongly. There is another feature in a few weeks I can aim him at.”
Robinson then supplied the quinella in the #Race For Research Team Teal Pace (1800m).
Vatican Green ($13), which he drove, scored a half head win from Cash Affair ($3.20), driven by Corey Johnson, with Budding Caesar ($2.50 fav), four metres away third.
Cash Affair, which had led, was headed off and came again just failed to catch Vatican Green.
Johnson said to Robinson past the post he wasn’t sure which horse had won.
“I said I don’t care as I own them both,” Robinson said.
“Vatican Green does have a good sprint, and he was able to grab the lead down the back, but Cash Affair ran really well and was very strong after being pressured mid-race.”
Port Pirie’s Five540 Racing Syndicate had a victory at Globe Derby Park with an excellent performance by square gaiter Confiscated.
Trained and driven by Ryan Hryhorec, Confiscated ($4.80) sat parked for the last lap and outstayed the leader Savvy Kyvalley ($4.60) to win by a metre with Saint Sebastian ($4.40 fav), seven metres away third.
The Five540 Racing Syndicate is managed by Chris Harvey who had his own winner a week earlier with John Vincent which ran sixth in the Pot Of Gold final on Saturday.
Hryhorec said he had a lot of time for Confiscated.
“I really like the horse,” Hryhorec said.
“He choked down when resuming on February 1, maybe because he was a bit fresh, but it was out of character.
“The leader (Savvy Kyvalley) got away with very slow sectionals early, so I made the move to go around from last to make the race truly run over the last lap.
“We ran a final 800 metres in 58.4 seconds which was excellent for trotters, and Confiscated was good enough to win. I’m sure he can keep going through the classes.”
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga
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